In a momentous accomplishment, a Finnish company known as Solar Foods has successfully developed a revolutionary sustainable protein using only air and electricity, eliminating the necessity for conventional agriculture. This innovative protein, named “solein”, contains high levels of protein and has the potential to substantially decrease the dependence on livestock farming, a primary contributor to greenhouse gas emissions and global warming.
The process involves feeding a microbe with carbon dioxide, hydrogen, and some minerals, and then utilizing electricity from renewable sources to power the production, yielding a protein that can serve as a substitute for milk and eggs. According to Pasi Vainikka, the Chief Executive Officer of Solar Foods, this new protein emits 130 times fewer greenhouse gases than an equivalent amount of protein from beef production in the European Union, as outlined in a scientific study conducted in 2021.
Emilia Nordlund, the head of industrial biotechnology and food research at Finland’s VTT Technical Research Centre, underscored the significance of transforming food production and consumption in the battle against the climate crisis and the loss of biodiversity. She highlighted that industrial food production, particularly livestock production, significantly contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, biodiversity loss, eutrophication, and excessive freshwater usage.
The technology behind cellular agriculture, a method to cultivate food or nutrients from cell cultures, has been rapidly advancing, with start-up hubs focusing on this field emerging in various countries. However, progress has been hindered by bureaucratic hurdles, especially in the EU, resulting in a slow adoption of cellular agriculture.
Solar Foods has successfully obtained regulatory approval for its protein in Singapore, where it has been utilized in the production of ice cream. However, the company is still awaiting approval in the EU and the US. Despite this, the long-term objective is the construction of an industrial plant 100 times the size of the current one, in order to make a significant impact on sustainable food production.
While the technology is in its early stages, the potential of producing protein from thin air demonstrates a promising future for sustainable food production. In the face of looming threats of climate change and environmental degradation, innovations like this offer hope for a more sustainable and environmentally-friendly future.